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Pérez surprises with third-place F1 finish for Sauber

Sergio Pérez rocketed 12 spots up from 15th to third on the Formula One grid, thanks in part to a one-pit strategy on Sunday in Montreal. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Sergio Pérez bounced back from a recent run of disappointments to take an impressive third-place at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday after charging from 15th on the grid.

Like runner-up Romain Grosjean, Pérez completed the race on one stop. However, while the Lotus driver started on supersofts and went to the soft tires, Pérez did it the other way around, starting on the softs.

He pitted on lap 41, leaving himself with a marathon 29-lap run to the flag on the supersofts.

In the closing laps, he was able to get ahead of Vettel and Alonso to claim second.

“It was a great race for the whole team,” said Pérez. “After such a disappointing qualifying that we had yesterday, with so little pace as well--we didn't have the pace we wanted to--so we had to fight in a different way with the strategy, and try to make it work and make it happen with the strategy.

“We didn't have any reference on the long runs. The long runs we did with the tires, it was 10 to 15 degrees C less track temperature. So, it was a lottery, basically, but I think the team has done a great job with the stop and the strategy, myself too, keeping the tires alive and being so consistent.

“It's been a great result for the whole team. We have been so unlucky since Malaysia. We had the pace but for some reason or another we don't manage to get the result in the end. I think it's great to come back into the points with another podium.”

Pérez expects to be a player for the rest of the season: “The thing is we long to fight for a podium every race. Today was a very crazy race, as we have had many of this year. But I think we have the potential to do it. This has to be the target, to get the first win this season for our team.”